The Sleepwalker
by Anakin T Skywalker
Summary: Just after AOTC, Obi-Wan has strange dreams and odd things happen at night. Will Anakin be able to help him figure out what's going on? Oneshot.


**Disclaimer: Star Wars. T'isn't mine!**

A lot of credit on this story goes to my friend, Elli Him Enoji, who helped me come up with several of the ideas.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Obi-Wan awoke to the realization that someone else was in his room. Even half-asleep, he recognized the Force signature. He rolled over on his side and opened his eyes to squint at the chrono.

300 hours. What in the galaxy could his Padawan be doing up at this hour? He turned onto his back again and sighed, staring up at the ceiling.

"Anakin, I sincerely hope there's a good reason for this."

There was no answer. Obi-Wan opened his eyes wider and scanned the room. There, in the shadows by the door, was a dark figure.

"What's the matter, Anakin?" he called out again. "Do you need something? Are you ill?"

The figure remained silent.

On the other hand, perhaps this wasn't Anakin after all. The presence was odd and distorted, somehow, now that he thought of it. And as sleepy as he was, it wasn't impossible that he could make a mistake. And Anakin never woke Obi-Wan when he was ill; indeed, even in the daytime, it was difficult to get him to admit illness at all.

But who else would be in his room at this hour? Obi-Wan felt a tiny shiver travel up his spine; quickly, he controlled it, drawing in the calm of the Force.

"Who is it?" he asked clearly, even while locating his lightsaber with his mind. It had not been disturbed; that at least was a comfort.

There was still no answer from the figure. When Obi-Wan blinked in the darkness, it was gone, silently and stealthily disappearing into the night.

Obi-Wan bolted upright on his bed, suddenly alert. He sprang to his feet, flipped on his glow lamp, and gazed around the room. There was no sign of the mysterious visitor.

He ran to the door by the hall and peered out into the gloom, but no one could be seen in the early morning dimness. He turned and walked back through his room to the door that led to the common area between his room and Anakin's. He turned on those lights, too, scanning the room as he walked through to check Anakin's room.

Walking in, Obi-Wan switched on the third set of lights to aid him in his search for the intruder. However, the sole occupant of the room was Anakin himself, who lay sound asleep on his bed, the sheets and blankets twisted around his feet and legs, as usual. Obi-Wan couldn't help but be amused at his Padawan's rather energetic sleeping habits.

The young man cringed, turning away from the sudden light, so Obi-Wan shut them off again, satisfied that no one else was there. Giving the common room one last glance, he shuffled back into his own room and settled down in his bed again.

_It must have been a dream,_ he reflected as sleep returned to cloud his senses again.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The next time Obi-Wan awoke, it was to the sound of his alarm ringing. He shut it off, got up, and went to sit in the common room for his first meditation session of the day. The strange dream he'd had the night before still lingered at the edges of his consciousness, but it was not a threat and did not truly disturb his concentration, so he saved it to investigate more fully later.

When his hour had passed, he rose from the couch and woke Anakin, then returned to his room to dress for the day. He slipped on his tunics and pants, then opened his sock drawer –

And stared in surprise.

There, in the midst of his neatly folded socks, stood a small drinking glass, half filled with water.

_What in the galaxy is that doing there?_ He moved the socks aside to take a closer look. The glass rested firmly on the bottom of the drawer, and had not spilled, fortunately.

_How very odd, _he thought as he removed it and set it on top of the dresser. He didn't recall putting it there himself, and he thought he'd certainly remember putting a glass of water in his sock drawer; it wasn't something he usually did.

Having put on his socks and his boots, he walked back over to check on Anakin. The young man was reassembling his bed after his active night's sleep.

"Anakin, did you need something last night? Did you come into my room at all?"

"No, of course not, Master," replied Anakin seriously, a confused expression flitting across his face. "Why do you ask?"

Obi-Wan told Anakin about the strange dream and the glass of water.

Anakin looked amused. "Maybe your room is haunted by the ghost of the last person who lived in it," he suggested mischievously.

"Anakin, you know we don't – "

"Yeah, I know, I was just kidding. Someone has to have been in your room, though. I mean, that glass of water must have come from somewhere. Maybe tonight I should stay up and watch – "

"Oh, I don't think so," Obi-Wan said firmly. "You need your rest, especially if you've been having trouble sleeping, as you keep saying."

Anakin grew strangely quiet, and Obi-Wan felt a sudden flash of anger, guilt, and something dangerously like despair from his Padawan. He frowned in concern.

"Anakin, is there something wrong?"

"No, nothing," replied the young man abruptly, turning away. Obi-Wan stared at him, vague suspicion creeping into his mind like an uninvited guest. He let the matter drop for the moment, however, deciding to continue on with his morning routine.

"Well, there's no harm done, anyway," he said uncertainly. "Meet me in the common room when you're ready."

He left his apprentice to prepare for the day, and that was the end of it.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The next several days passed with no more sign of Obi-Wan's nocturnal visitor. He finally closed the subject and truly accepted the incident for what it was: a strange dream.

That very night, his sleep was disturbed yet again.

"Master! Master!" Anakin's call floated to him out of the darkness, accompanied by an insistent tapping on his shoulder that tore him from the warm embrace of sleep.

"Obi-Wan!" Anakin whispered urgently.

Obi-Wan sat up in bed. "Yes, what is it, Anakin?"

His Padawan's hand came reaching forward to firmly place something in Obi-Wan's. He felt the soft _smack_ of a shuura fruit from the bowl in the common room hitting the flesh of his palm. His finger closed around it, feeling the cool, smooth skin of the fruit, and he stared up at Anakin, perplexed.

"But, Anakin, it's the middle of the night! Why are you giving me this? What am I supposed to do with it?"

But Anakin was already walking back through the door to the common room. Obi-Wan's gaze followed him until the door shut; then he sighed and climbed out of bed to replace the fruit in its bowl.

_How silly and juvenile,_ he reflected on the way back to his room. _I shall have to speak to him about these ridiculous midnight pranks tomorrow morning. He really is too old for this anymore._

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The next day, after the morning meal, Obi-Wan confronted Anakin.

"What was that all about last night?"

Anakin frowned, not comprehending. "Huh?"

"You came into my room last night, woke me up, handed me a shuura fruit, and went back in your room to sleep."

Anakin's jaw dropped at the accusation. "I did not!"

"You most certainly did. I remember it distinctly. You called my name and tapped me on the shoulder, and when I sat up and asked you what was the matter, you gave me the fruit and left." I had to get up and put it back."

"Why would I do that?"

"That's precisely what I would like to know."

"I wouldn't," Anakin replied. "And I didn't."

"But you must have! I had to get up and put the fruit back!"

Anakin's face stretched into an amused, impish grin. "Maybe your friend from the other night did it," he snickered, "because it sure wasn't me! You must have been dreaming again, Master."

He turned and swaggered off, apparently enjoying having found a way to tease his Master.

Obi-Wan shook his head.

_Once he is trained,_ he promised himself, not for the first time, _I will take a full standard year's sabbatical on the most remote, uninhabited planet I can find. Or perhaps when the war's over…_

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Another night passed without incident. Obi-Wan slept through the following night as well, but when he woke up in the morning, another surprise greeted them.

Two younglings, a boy and a girl, lay curled up on his bedroom floor, each clinging to a small blanket. They were sound asleep, and the boy's thumb was in his mouth.

Obi-Wan skipped his meditation to hurriedly dress and comm the crèche masters.

"This is Obi-Wan Kenobi. I have two human younglings here with me, one boy and one girl. I do not know how they got here; they were in my room when I awoke."

"Oh, thank the Force they're with you! We've been looking everywhere for them! The boy is blonde with blue eyes, correct? And the girl is dark-haired and brown-eyed? Are they all right?"

Obi-Wan glanced at the sleeping children and smiled. "Yes, they're all right. They are both asleep at the moment, so I'm afraid I can't tell their eye color, but the hair color seems right. I think perhaps they woke in the night and wandered in here, then fell back asleep."

"I'm sure you're right, Knight Kenobi. Our little ones do wander off from time to time. Would you be so kind as to keep them there until they wake? We don't like to wake them before their usual time; they need their rest at that age."

"Of course. My Padawan and I will watch over them. What are their names?"

"The boy's name is Kuel, and the girl is Elia, and they're both three standard years of age. They shouldn't burden you for long; I would expect them to be up within a half hour, and hour at the longest. When they do wake up, just call again, and we'll send someone down to get them."

"Very well, that is what I will do. Until later, then!"

"Thank you, Knight Kenobi."

"You are most welcome."

He clipped the comlink back on his belt, gave the little ones a loving glance, and went to rouse Anakin.

His Padawan was thrashing about on his bed, well on his way to kicking his sheets completely off.

"No," he said hoarsely. "No!"

Obi-Wan hesitated, then decided to wake him anyway. It would end his nightmare, and with any luck, their guests would take his mind away from it. He firmly grasped Anakin's shoulder.

"Come, Anakin, we have visitors!"

"A-at this hour in the morning?" moaned Anakin sleepily, getting to his feet and following Obi-Wan through the common room.

"Anakin, it isn't that early. If you didn't stay up so late, you'd find it much easier to rise in the morning."

"If I didn't stay up so late, I would – " he stopped in mid-sentence and stared.

It had been a long time since Obi-Wan had seen his apprentice this awed.

"Master, they're…" he trailed off, losing his voice again almost as soon as he found it.

"Precious, aren't they?" he finished, pleased to see Anakin so thrilled at the sight of two young lives, if a little surprised.

"I found them here in my room this morning. I think they must have woken up last night and wandered off together, then come in here and fallen asleep. The crèche masters have asked us to look after them until they wake up. They're three years old, and their names are Kuel and Elia."

Anakin didn't take his eyes off the children. "This is…" he said, shaking his head in wonder, unable to find words to describe what he was feeling.

A bemused smile crept across Obi-Wan's face; the younglings were absolutely darling, to be sure, but they were hardly so remarkable that they should elicit this reaction from his Padawan!

At that moment, the boy, perhaps sensing Anakin's strong Force-presence, woke and sat up, looking around with wide blue eyes that peeked out from under his golden blonde bangs.

"How am I here?" he asked in innocent confusion. "Where is ev'rybuddy?

"It's all right," soothed Obi-Wan. "I am Obi-Wan Kenobi, and this is my apprentice, Anakin Skywalker. You came to my room sometime last night, and Anakin and I are going to take care of you until the crèche masters come."

The boy stood and walked up to Anakin. "I'm Kuel," he said. "Are you his Pad-a-wan?"

Anakin smiled, almost shyly. "Yes."

Kuel smiled back. "I'm gonna be a Pad-a-wan, too! Maybe next week."

Anakin laughed, not in a mean way. "I'm sure you'll make a very good Padawan."

Kuel beamed.

And just like that, Obi-Wan found himself on the outside, watching Anakin interact with the children. When Elia woke and cried, Anakin picked her up and cuddled her on his lap, while still keeping Kuel entertained.

Not that he really minded. He did enjoy children, but seeing Anakin interact well with other Jedi of any age was rewarding enough that he chose not to thrust himself in. He was truly reluctant to comm the crèche masters to come for the children, but eventually did, knowing they should be returned to their clan.

As he and Anakin waved goodbye, he watched his apprentice's face carefully. There was a glow of wonder that was not fading.

"Had I known you enjoyed children so much, I would have sent you to help in the crèches more often. I think perhaps I will from now on; you did quite well with them, Padawan."

Anakin's only response was to blush even pinker.

The next morning, Obi-Wan found another surprise in his room. This time, however, instead of a pair of adorable toddlers, it was a crumpled, torn sheet of off-white plastic.

He brought the curious object into the common room to show to Anakin.

Anakin looked up from his cereal and laughed out loud. "What in the worlds is that thing?"

Obi-Wan shared little of his amusement. "I believe it once was a shower curtain."

Anakin laughed even harder. "Where did you get that? You must be sleepwalking, Master!"

Obi-Wan stopped. The thought had not occurred to him. He had assumed all along it was Anakin playing pranks. Could these strange occurrences really be his own fault? Of course, he had been having strange dreams lately, it seemed.

He supposed it might, after all, be possible.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Later that afternoon, Anakin came up to him with an enormous smile on his face. "You travel far, Master," he chortled. "The rest of that shower curtain is still hanging in the girls' 'fresher three wings down!"

Obi-Wan could feel his face turning red. He didn't relish the idea that he'd been in the wrong 'fresher, even if it was while he was asleep in the dead of night!

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The next few nights, fortunately, were dreamless. Obi-Wan began to think they had simply been part of a phase, manifestations of some irregularity in the Force and his life. He couldn't think what could have caused it, but it seemed to be over. He was finally able to relax again when he slept.

Obi-Wan was rudely awakened by the sensation of cold water shooting up his nose.

_I'm drowning! _

_Blast it, where's my rebreather?_

His relief at the discovery that he was not actually drowning after all was nearly outweighed by the astonishment and irritation he felt when he realized that his face and pillow had just been inundated with icy cold water.

_What in blazes is going on?_

At least he knew one thing for certain: this was no dream.

Then he heard the voice.

Anakin's voice. Unquestionably Anakin's voice.

He sounded panicked and angry.

"No, no! I – I didn't know – I didn't mean to – it just happened! It's all Obi-Wan's fault! He held me back! If he hadn't, I could have – I could have…"

A truly vile word rang through the air, and Obi-Wan looked up to see Anakin standing perhaps a meter from his bedside, his eyes glowing a wild, mad blue in the city light which filtered in the window. Even in the night shadows of the room, Obi-Wan could see that Anakin's face was a furious red, and that tears streaked his cheeks. The young man's arm went through the motions of throwing something, and a moment later the crash of shattered glass pierced Obi-Wan's already-injured ears.

"Anakin –"

"Look what you've done! It's your fault! You always despise me, even from the day we met. I have done nothing to earn your displeasure! Not a bit of something!"

"Anakin, what are you talking about?"

"Well, let me give you a something to hear!" He was talking so strangely, as if it were a direct translation from a foreign language, and his voice was getting louder and angrier.

"What?!"

"I do not enjoy your existence!" Anakin screamed at the top of his lungs.

It was possibly the most absurd, most bizarre insult Obi-Wan had ever heard.

"Anakin, what ever are you talking about?"

Anakin dropped to his knees, then curled up on the floor and was silent, his breathing instantly regular.

And then Obi-Wan remembered.

"_You must be sleepwalking, Master!"_

So Anakin _was_ responsible for all this nonsense, after all – he simply didn't know he was doing it!

It was time to put a stop to this.

Obi-Wan cautiously ventured out of bed, being careful to avoid any shards of the shattered water glass, and went to Anakin's side. He seemed to be sleeping peacefully enough now; Obi-Wan deemed it safe to wake him.

"Anakin! Wake up! Look, you've come into my room again! _You _were sleepwalking! Come, back to your own room, now!

Anakin sat up, blinking sleepily. "Uh, what? Oh, hi, Master. I-I'm sorry. I actually meant to say all that to Master Windu."

Obi-Wan, completely taken aback, couldn't think of a single word to say.

"Good night, Master," Anakin yawned, and lay back down on the floor. Try as he might, Obi-Wan could not rouse him again, so he pulled the blankets off his bed and draped them over Anakin, then slipped his pillow under his apprentice's head. He knew sleep would be impossible, so he went to sit on the couch in the common area and begin his meditations early.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

A few hours later, Anakin walked in.

He wasted no time. "How did I get in there?" he demanded.

"Good morning, Anakin _Sleep_walker," Obi-Wan replied calmly.

"How did I – what'd you just call me?"

"You were sleepwalking again last night. I think the case of my mysterious visitor is now closed."

"Wait! No! _I'm_ not the one who sleepwalks! I –"

"Would you like me to take you to Master Windu, so you can tell him you do not enjoy his existence?'

Obi-Wan's plan worked. The phrase triggered Anakin's memory, and his face went white, then red.

"I said that out loud?"

"And dumped a glass of water in my face, and smashed the glass against the wall. You seemed to be quite upset, really," Obi-Wan said with a teasing smile.

"Oh, Master I'm sorry – did I really do all my other dreams, too?" A look of horror crossed his face. "Oh, no! Now I know how those younglings and the shower curtain got here…"

Obi-Wan's smile broadened even more. "Only you, Anakin Sleepwalker, could manage to kidnap two younglings in your sleep."


End file.
